In order to increase the available interior space of a motorized or towable vehicle such as a motor home or trailer, slide-out rooms can be made integral with the vehicle. When the vehicle is in transit, the slide-out room can be retracted and stored in the vehicle's interior with the exterior wall of the slide-out room approximately flush with the vehicle's exterior. As such, there is typically adequate space within the vehicle's interior to accommodate users in transit and remain within the standard width limitations imposed upon a vehicle. When the vehicle is parked and leveled, the slide-out room is then slid outward through an opening formed in a sidewall of a fixed room, increasing the internal accommodations.
Typically, slide-out rooms usually include a floor section, a roof section, a first sidewall section, a second sidewall section, and a third sidewall section. In the retracted position, the roof section and the first and second sidewall section are concealed from exterior view, and the third sidewall section forms a portion of the vehicle's sidewall. At the same time, the floor section of the slide-out room typically rests above a floor section of a fixed room and may form a portion of the usable interior floor during vehicle transit. Similarly, the roof section of the slide-out room may define the interior ceiling of that part of the vehicle during transit. The proximal ends of the roof section, first sidewall section, and second sidewall section, include stop walls. As used herein, “proximal” refers to the portion towards the vehicle body and “distal” refers to the portion away from the vehicle body. The stop walls form a L-shaped configuration with the respective roof section, first sidewall section and second sidewall section. The stop walls engage the inner surface of a respective sidewall section of the fixed room when the slide-out room is fully extended, and thereby limit the travel of the slide-out room.
A number of slide-out extension mechanisms are currently used to extend and retract the slide-out room. Typically, a slide-out extension mechanism includes a pair of support rails which telescopically extend and retract from a pair of channels. The support rails are attached to the slide-out room and the channels are attached to the fixed portion of the vehicle, such as the fixed room, wherein the slide-out room retracts and extends with the retraction and extension of the support rails. The support rails may be driven hydraulically, pneumatically, electrically or various combinations thereof. In the fully extended position, the support rails extend outwardly in a cantilevered manner and support the slide-out room. The slide-out room is further supported by the stop walls abutting the inner surface of the respective sidewall section of the fixed room.
In order to prevent environmental contaminants from entering the vehicle, inner flanges are typically included to press against the vehicle sidewall. Thus, the flanges may seal the vehicle when the slide-out room is extended or retracted, however they may not always form a tight seal. Misalignment of the slide-out mechanism, extreme temperatures, and movement due to traveling are just a few circumstances that may prevent a slide-out room 101 from sealing with a vehicle. What is needed is a slide-out mechanism that creates a better seal between the slide-out room and the vehicle, preventing water, snow, wind and other elements from entering the vehicle.